Lev Parnas demands Barr recusal

Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas demanded Monday that Attorney General William Barr recuse himself from his criminal case over allegations that Barr played a part in President Donald Trump's hunt for Ukrainian dirt on Democrats.

Parnas, who has broken with Team Trump in spectacular fashion and is angling to testify at the president's Senate impeachment trial, had his lawyer, Joseph Bondy, send a letter to Barr outlining several purported conflicts of interests that should preclude the attorney general from having any sway over the ex-Giuliani pal's case.

"Given the totality of the circumstances, we believe it is appropriate for you to recuse yourself from the ongoing investigation and pending prosecution of Mr. Parnas," Bondy wrote.

In addition to a recusal, Bondy said Barr should allow for the appointment of a special prosecutor "from outside of the Justice Department" to take over the caseload of Parnas' indictment in the Southern District of New York on charges that he helped facilitate a sweeping pro-Trump campaign finance scheme that partially overlaps with matters at the heart of the president's impeachment.

"It is in the public interest to remove this matter entirely from the Department of Justice," Bondy wrote.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.

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